Systems and methods for forming composite lesions to treat dysfunction in sphincters and adjoining tissue regions

An assembly for forming a composite lesion in a tissue region at or near a sphincter comprising

• a catheter tube having a proximal end and a distal end,
• a support structure on the distal end, the support structure including an array of spines,
• an array of electrodes carried by the spines and being attachable to a source of energy capable of heating tissue when transmitted by the electrodes, and
• a handle on the proximal end to position the support structure in the tissue region, including a first mechanism to selectively advance the electrodes in a first path outward of the spines, without movement of the catheter tube, to penetrate the tissue region and form, when the energy is transmitted, a first pattern of lesions, and a second mechanism to advance the electrodes in a second path axially along the spines, without axial movement of the catheter tube, to axially shift the position the electrodes along the spines in the tissue region without axial movement of the catheter tube, so that advancement of the electrodes a second time forms, when the energy is transmitted, a second pattern of lesions axially shifted from the first pattern of lesions, together comprising the composite lesion.

An assembly for forming a composite lesion in a tissue region at or near a sphincter comprising

• a catheter tube having a proximal end and a distal end,
• a support structure on the distal end including an array of movable spines,
• an internal carrier within each spine,
• an array of electrodes carried by the carriers and being attachable to a source of energy capable of heating tissue when transmitted by the electrodes, and
• a handle on the proximal end to position the support structure in the tissue region, including first and second mechanisms to selectively advance the electrodes, the first mechanism advancing the electrodes along a first path out from the carrier and outward of the movable spines, without movement of the catheter tube, to penetrate the tissue region and form, when the energy is transmitted, a first pattern of lesions, the second mechanism advancing the electrodes along a second path by advancing the carrier along the axis, without axial movement of the catheter tube, to axially shift the position of the electrodes in the tissue region without axial movement of the catheter tube, so that advancement of the electrodes a second time forms, when the energy is transmitted, a second pattern of lesions axially shifted from the first pattern of lesions, together comprising the composite lesion.